Making More From Sheep
A new best management practice package for sheep producers – Making More From Sheep – is now available.
The very best information on sheep production has now been put together in one easy to use guide for sheep producers – Making More From Sheep. This short video presentation provides an overview of the manual’s contents, and contains an interview with a woolgrower who helped road-test the manual.
Making more from sheep has been jointly developed by AWI and Meat & Livestock Australia with the input of nearly 250 leading sheep producers and technical experts.
The centrepiece of the Making More From Sheep program is a manual for sheep producers. The manual is structured around 11 key modules which address all of the important profit drivers in a sheep and wool enterprise.
The magazine style modules cover the best available information on soils and pasture, wool and meat marketing, animal health, genetics and farm sustainability.
Making More From Sheep helps users identify the 20% of decisions that have 80% of the impact on business profitability and controlling risk in wool and sheepmeat production.
Sheep producers who decide to make use of the manual will discover ways to lift productivity and quickly identify any limitations in current management or farming practices.
Each module contains critical ‘must do’ procedures, tools to get you started and signposts to further information and assistance.
For easy navigation, each module is broken up into the following sections:
- Contents page
- What does this module do for you?
- Procedures – these are the ‘must do’s’ for the module
- Tools – practical information to help you make and implement the decisions/action in the procedures
- Signposts – to further sources of information and assistance
How do I get a copy of the manual?
The manual can be downloaded free from the website www.makingmorefromsheep.com.au or a hard copy is available for purchase by calling the AWI Helpline on 1800 070 099.
Although the manual can be used as a stand-alone reference, it will also be supported by producer forums, workshops and events.
For follow-up information on meetings and seminars visit the website www.makingmorefromsheep.com.au and sign-up to receive regular updates via email.
The 11 modules
- Plan For Success – establish business objectives and plans; calculate your cost of production; compare your business performance against industry benchmarks; quantify risks and develop a risk management plan; assess enterprise changes and new technologies
- Market focused wool production – know the features of your wool influencing demand and price; use a customer focus to produce, harvest and prepare wool for sale; maximise returns from your wool sales
- Market focused lamb and sheepmeat production – decide what product you can produce most profitably; manage the production system to meet market specifications; decide on the most profitable selling method; respond to short and long term price and market signals
- Capable and confident producers – know who does what in the business; develop more effective communication; develop a sound business purpose; build knowledge and skills in the business; maintain a happy balance between work and family time
- Protect your farm’s natural assets – plan the vision for your business and grazing enterprise; prepare an inventory of your farm’s natural assets to achieve your vision; devise and implement your action plan; measure, manage and monitor your progress towards the vision for your grazing enterprise
- Healthy soils – manage according to soil capability; maintain groundcover to protect your soil and keep the soil ‘bugs’ healthy; test soils for indicators of soil health; implement solutions for problem soils
- Grow more pasture – build and maintain soil fertility; graze to keep the desirable species productive and dominant; establish new pastures
- Turn pasture into product – know your feed supply; know your animal demand; match feed supply to animal demand and minimise risk
- Gain from genetics – identify the key production traits that drive your sheep enterprise profit; identify the genetic opportunities to improve key production traits; select the best genetics for your business
- Wean more lambs – ensure most ewes get in-lamb; manage your ewes to improve lamb survival; keep maximum numbers of lambs alive to weaning; manage weaners for lifetime productivity; prepare your ewes for next joining
- Healthy and contented sheep – maintain your sheep in appropriate body condition; implement a preventative health management program; adopt on-farm biosecurity measures; manage sporadic outbreaks of diseases; meet all animal wellbeing requirements